When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Mazda BT 50 & Pickup TrucksWhile Mazda may not be known for their trucks, they have always produced quality reliable trucks for both hauling cargo, or simply crusing. BT 50
Hey guys! I found you! LOL. I am sad that it went down. I'm in the middle of trying to start some additional mods and poof.... I couldn't access anything!
Hey guys! I found you! LOL. I am sad that it went down. I'm in the middle of trying to start some additional mods and poof.... I couldn't access anything!
Everyone is on facebook. Sorry.
I bit the bullet and registered on facebook for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I'm glad I did. LOTS of information about our trucks there.
I decided to find out how these tow mirrors work, and how they are put together today. I had one from the parts truck that was loose and took it apart to find out why these things get so loose as they get old. First thing you need to know about these mirrors is......DON'T TRY TO LOOSEN THE T25 TORX SCREWS INSIDE THE MIRROR!! Here's a pic of them, you have to tilt the mirror glass all the way to one side to see them. But don't try to turn them! They will be permanently loose and you mirror will be trash then!
The "heads" on these mirrors are actually just pressed on an aluminum "pole", the aluminum pole has a threaded hole in the bottom of it and it is mounted on top of the "arm" that bolts to the door. Between the arm and the pole is a star washer so when the screw is tightened, it is supposed to "bite" into the aluminum pole and not let the pole rotate when you rotate the mirror head.
That's where the "problem" arises with these mirrors!
Look at the aluminum filings from the star washer cutting into the soft aluminum pole!
As they get old, the mirror head binds or sticks to the aluminum pole, (lack of lubricant) and when you try and rotate the mirror head, the friction between the pole and the head is greater than what the star washer and T30 bolt in the bottom of the pole can withstand, so instead of rotating where it is intended to, head to pole, it rotates at the star washer and T30 bolt that goes through the arm that's bolted to the door. The star washer scars up the soft aluminum and it will be loose at that joint until you fix it! Do you understand all of that?
First thing to do is tilt the mirror glass all the way down so you can spray some penetrating oil on top of the aluminum pole and let it sit for a few minutes to soak in and run down the aluminum pole so you will be able to pull the mirror head completely off of the aluminum pole and door arm support.
Use a flashlight and find the top of the pole thru the opening between the mirror head housing and the mirror glass.
If your T30 bolt is not tight, you will need to tighten it up. You have to hold the aluminum pole with a pair of channel locks or similar to tighten the T30 bolt in the bottom of it. USE YOUR PLIERS ON THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE ALUMINUM POLE ONLY! IF YOU SCAR UP THE POLE ON THE UPPER 3/4'S OF IT YOUR MIRROR WILL HANG UP ON THE BURRS!!!
I used a 1/4" ratchet with a T30 bit on it.....Had to take a pic of the tools separately....I don't have 3 hands!
You can also use thread locker on the T30 bolt to make sure it doesn't come loose in the future, the key is to keep the head to pole connection lubricated every so often. I used white lithium grease when sliding the head back on the pole. Uhhh, that sounded dirty!:rollinglaugh:
All done! Pretty simple really once you know how it's put together.
The bottom of the mirror where the aluminum pole slides into it.
My drivers side was real loose at the T30 bolt connection.....the bolt wasn't loose, it was loose because it had started rotating at the T30 bolt and the star washer had started to eat up the base of the aluminum pole.
I took a file and laid it on the workbench and then drug the end of the pole across the file while trying to keep it perpendicular to the file so I could flatten the mounting base of the aluminum pole out and have it grip better when I tightened it down for good, hopefully. I also used some red high strength thread locker on the T30 bolt on the drivers side mirror. The passenger side was still tight and hadn't slipped yet.
11-01-2020, 01:15 PM
